Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-07-07

S1Stance IN overcoming peculiarly Gil
barassments, caused by an undue extrava-
gance in living and a taste for high play.
Hence the two gentlemen were very good
friends.
Accordingly on the following Tuesday
the pair started together for Townley
court, and Mr.. Bengo naturally begulled
the journey by asking questions of Mr..
Bilsom respecting his host and the
Townley family in general.
'sRather tyrant in his own house, the
old man." responded Mr.. Bllsom, but
very fond of Jack 1 fancy. Lady T
is a colorless sort of woman, but the
two girls are really nice looking and very
lively"
GLOW do Jack and his father get on to-
gether?" inquired Mr.. Bengo.
'sFirst rate except where money mat
tiers are concerned; but Jack funks him
too much. The old man would always
pay when it came to pinch. Jacks an
only son you know, and it's an old family
Why, once when was there, Jack got a.
fall out hunting and b1oke his collar bone,
you never saw such duece of fuss as
Sir John made"
"Ah!" said Mr.. Bengo, and he relapsed
into silence.
The first evening at Townley court was
rather trying ordeal for Mr.. BengO. He
was quite sharp enough to see that Sir
John, though deliberately polite, looked
upon him as more or less of an inter
loper, and the rest of the family took
their cue from the head of the house.
But Mr.. Bengo was not so easily cast
down. He contrived to appease the
baronet by talking politics of the ultra
tory order, he made himself unobtrusively
entertaining at dinner, and he ingratiat-
ed himself with the ladies by his per-
Torrance on the piano; for among his
other accom- plishments Mr.. Bengo was
no mean musician. Upon the whole,
therefore, he made distinctly favorable
impression, and Jack warmly congratu-
lated him upon his success before retir-
ing for the night.
"By the way old, man." said Mr.. Town-
ley, on leaving his friends room, "whet
ever you do, don't shoot wild tomorrow.
The governors nervous as cat, and I've
known him to turn man out OF the
house simply for pointing his gun down
line"
Right you are,' replied Mr.. Bengo,
I'll be careful"
And the next day he was as good as his
word. There were eight guns, game was
plentiful, and the covers thick, but moth
ing con.d exceed Mr.. Bengo's caution.
Frequently he refrained from taking an
easy shot because CT the danger of pep
pering stop gun, and his prudence
coupled with the fact that he shot fairly
we'll, elected commentator even from
the crusty old baronet himself. Mr..
Bilsom, on the contrary, was not so fortu-
nate. From no fault OF his own, few
stray pellets from his gun glanced off a
tree in dangerous proximity to Jack
Townships head, and Sir John waxed fur
ious at once.
"Confound you, sir," he calculated.
do you want to kill somebody? Why
don't you look where you are shOoting?"
at wasn't my fault, Sir John,," plead
ed the excited doctor; cit was only rich
ochet."
':Richochet be hanged" growled his
irate host. ''What do you want to go
firing at tree fort"
And the argument grew SO warm that
Bilsom vowed to Jack that he was not
going to stay to be iusulted, and would
return to town the next day.
"Don't be an ass, Tom," demonstrated
Mr.. Townley. "The governor doesn't
mean anything. It's only his way"
Mighty m PLEASANT way" grunbled the
doctor what do you think aboat it,
Rongo?"
"WelI, Sir John is not exactly model
of amiability," responded that werthy,
who did not seem very anxious to smooth
matters over.
"Certainly not" said Bilsom, as Jack
left them. GIVE good mind to have a
shot at that old curmu5geon-it would
serve him right"
That same night Mr. Bengo centriyed
that Jack and he should be left in the bill
lizard room together after the other men
had retired and, after a little skirmish-
ing, he asked his debtor point blank what
$4,000. Jack had consoled himself some
what freely with his fathers port, and
his ideas were confused
'What on earth do you suppose I can
do?" he replied. II daren't, for nay soul,
ask the old man for it,
''WeIl; if you won't must, that's all, -
replied Mr.. Bengo, with determination.
For my sake, don't!'' pleaded the I'M
fortunate Mr.. Townley. at will be all
right, old fellow-all right in time"
i Il dare say, my boy; bat, honor bright,
am hard up, so he must know about it
soon."
''You wouldn't serve pal such trick,
Bengo; you surely wouldn't" And Jack
looked the picture of maudiin misery.
swell, as a matter of fact, there is an
other way" replied Mr.. Bengo; "but you
may not like it,
Anything is better than that" said
Townley, Frightening up little. "Tei
me what it is.
ats the only thing can think of, and
you won't be much the worse" said Mr..
Bengo.
Come man out with it!'' replied Jack,
valoroasly.
And in response to the invitation, Mr..
Bengo drew nearer to his friend, and con-
fi6ed to him a scheme.
That's all very fne," said Jack rue
fully; "but it strikes as being precious
deal better for you than for me. Sup
pose it doesn't come off, too?"
Nonsense, it must come off. / get
paid, you annex a couple of thousand
ready, and are received into the bosom
of your family. like the repentant pro5i-
gall
"But how about doctor?"
"A a.